Fiber optic devices use single or multiple strands of fibers each having an inner circular glass core coated with a circumferential cladding having a different index of refraction. Light is transmitted along the core and reflected from the interface between the core and cladding. Such devices can be used as transmission lines for transmitting information bearing light energy. A transmission line can be formed from a single fiber or it can include a plurality of fibers bundled together. Additionally, several transmission lines can be arranged in parallel for the simultaneous transmission of information along each of the separate lines.
Originally, fiber optic systems utilized simplex interconnection systems with single connector plugs terminating single fiber optic cables. In a simplex system, either transmission or reception of information can take place at one time. Consequently, simplex systems are limited in the amount of information that they can transmit and receive during a given period of time.
To increase the amount of information that can be communicated over fiber optic systems, multi-channel systems were developed. Such multi-channel systems include, for example, duplex connector plugs and cables which are capable of simultaneous transmission and reception. Thus, using a duplex system enables information to be transmitted at a much higher rate.
In order to manage the duplex connector plugs and cables, structures have been designed for interconnecting two fiber optic connectors in a side-by-side relationship forming a duplex connector. For instance, adapter structures have been designed to provide a pair of side-by-side through receptacles for receiving the pair of fiber optic connectors in a side-by-side arrangement. Not only do such duplex adapters increase costs by requiring an additional, somewhat bulky component, but it also is difficult to maintain proper axial alignment which is necessary for optimum signal transmission. Misalignment in such duplex connectors or adapters are caused by manufacturing inaccuracies or tolerances. Consequently, interconnection systems, adapters or the like have been designed for mounting a pair of fiber optic connectors in a side-by-side alignment with lateral floating therebetween generally perpendicular to their longitudinal axes in order to compensate for misalignment due to manufacturing tolerances and the like. These systems may be provided directly between the connector housings. The present invention is directed to providing improvements in such a floating system directly between a pair of side-by-side fiber optic connectors and which also eliminates separate floating mechanisms in interconnecting adapters or the like.